Half-glass service
Dinner with the girls tonight–our monthly meal with Margaret and Barbara.
Margaret took us first to the Albany Library, where there is an exhibition of infra-red photography by a friend of hers, James Callahan. If he had a website, I’d link to a picture to show you, but he doesn’t.
So trust me–these photos are different and interesting. Infra-red photos are black and white, but things items are light or dark relative to how much infra-red light they reflect. Foliage is almost completely white, the sky is very dark. You recognize everything by its shape, but it looks strange, eerie and out of place.
Okay, here’s an infra-red image I found online, just to demonstrate (not the work of Margaret’s friend):
Just an example of infra-red photography--very white foliage, very dark sky, eerie and unnatural feeling.
After we enjoyed the exhibit, we went to the Solano Grill and Bar for dinner, and had yet another experience of ‘the customer is always wrong’ service.
Dinner was decent. The great chefs of Michelin-starred establishments aren’t getting nervous, but we had no complaints. I enjoyed my salmon, and particularly the sweet potato puree, which is the $6 was to say mashed sweet potatoes.
Margaret had a martini. She wanted a little more, but not another full glass. So we asked for half a martini–and were turned down, flat. “We can’t do that”, as though there was an 11th commandment, Thou shalt not pour less than a full marti.
We wanted dessert. We (Gail/Barbara) wanted another glass of wine. We wanted decent service.
And yet, for want of the willingness to pour a short drink, we had none of those things. At least at the Solano Grill and Bar.
We got in the car. We drove to Origen. We ordered a half martini.
Just a half a martini--all it takes to keep the customer satisfied.
And with our half-martini, we had three desserts, a glass of sauvignon blanc and an iced tea, dropping another $35 or $40 that the first place could have had, if only they had been willing to accommodate a grandmother by making a short drink. This might explain why we were the only customers for dinner tonight. Tomorrow, they may not have any customers at all; we sure won’t be back.
Totally Unauthorized 
Go Origen!